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Answer
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Name
Ali Syed
- Canada
Profession
Student
Question
Hello Good moring, atleast from where I am location wise. Fist of all I would like to welcome you to Islamonine as a viewer it is a great site and I hope u come out of this dialogue with something and hopefully come bac. I would first like to ask u a personal question, did u support the decision to go to Iraq? Secondly, sir with all due respect, are u aware muslim community in America has become increasingly targeted and many members have been discriminated employment wise. Any plans by administration to curb Islamophobia and fight discrimination targeted towards muslims in America? And when will Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi be allowed to visit America?
Thank you ver much for ur time.
Answer
Thank you for your question. Yes, I did support the war in Iraq personally — though not solely because of concern for WMD, but because I felt that Saddam's regime was a horror to its people and that the United States had for too long supported him in various ways.
On your second question, I meet with members of the Muslim American community all the time and whenever I travel to a city in the United States, I do my best to meet with their representatives and have heard some complaints. But I have also had excellent conversations with the community and have learned a lot about how they can help support us in our efforts to promote freedom in their original homes. The President and the whole of the administration has been clear that Islam is not the problem and that discrimination or violence against the community will not be tolerated.
I am not aware of the current status on Qaradawi's visa request
Name
Hanan
-
Profession
Journalist
Question
Welcome Mr. Carpenter.
1- If the Damascus declaration, which is the umbrella for liberal parties, refused the US funds directed to support democracy, are you ready to fund the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, especially that its position on Assad's regime is consistent with Khaddam's, who is widely perceived to be serving foreign interests?
2- Did any Syrian group apply for the US funds?
3- How do you see democracy in Egypt? And what are the democratic achievements that have happened that you can say that the US has contributed a lot to? What do you think is the main motive behind the tendency of Mubarak's regime towards reform - US pressure or internal pressure?
Answer
Thanks for your excellent questions.
1. I want to be clear that the United States is not looking to support any individual group directly. We want to make available to those who yearn for a democratic Syria the technical expertise and support that they need. That can be anything from training of journalists to support for conferences and workshops that discuss how reform can be carried out in Syria. We hope that the opposition is able to come together as a whole to present a coherent democratic vision for Syria.
2. Yes, we've had a number of groups apply for funding of various activities.
3. Regarding Egyptian political reform, I think there are both internal and external forces at work pressing on the Egyptian government to move more rapidly forward in the area of political reform. I have to say that in the past month or so I see a good deal to be concerned about; all of these issues are subjects that we will discuss with our Egyptian colleagues.
Name
Kabir
- Nigeria
Profession
Question
The hypocrisy of the American government is manifesting itself everyday. How do expect the world to respect your call for spreading democracy if people are not allowed to freely choose their leaders as in what President Abraham Lincoln defined as democracy. You did the same in Algeria and some other countries; you looked away when the contraption called elections was conducted in 2003 in Nigeria. Or do you mean democracy is only what protects the American interest? If that's so, then to hell with it and the world will come to stand against it sooner or later.
Answer
I can't speak specifically on the situation in Nigeria and I admit that we have not been consistent as a government. Even the President has said that 60 years of turning our backs on democrats in the Middle East in favor of producing stability in the end contributed to neither stability nor freedom. We know that there is a credibility gap that we need to fill but the only way to do so is through our actions. The fact is, democracy is not a perfect form of government; our own is still evolving- but we know that when people are given the ability to select their own leaders (and to throw them out again) there is greater accountability and transparency. It is NOT about only protecting American interests. The elections in West Bank and Gaza, which we insisted take place, allowed Hamas to be elected. In Iraq, Shiite Islamist parties did quite well, too. We praised both electoral processes.
Name
Roshan
- India
Profession
Question
Hello,
I hail from the largest democracy in the world, India. I would like to know what prevents democratic governments like the US administration from accepting the free electoral verdict of the people of a country as to who should rule them?
Answer
We know that there are times when people in various countries will elect governments that are not favorable to our policies. As long as the results stem from open, democratic processes that are consistent with international standards, we accept the results. But that's a different thing than saying we accept the policies of that new government. The President congratulated the Palestinian people for participating in their elections, but we want to see Hamas now abide by the international agreements that former PA governments signed. Elections, like all choices we make, have consequences, especially in a globalized world.
Name
zaki
- Malaysia
Profession
research assistant
Question
Dear sir,
I applauded and saluted your democratic systems which give greater choices to your people, but do you think the Palestinians have the same right in the very confined/limited situation which your country and Israel forced unto them?
I believed that all humans have an equal right to practise what they believe in and I also believed that no body had the right to force his/her beliefes on others.
Peace for all of us!
Answer
I totally agree with you, Zaki. But I think it would be wrong to say that we have to wait until there's a Palestinian state existing side by side with Israel before allowing the Palestinian people to be able to choose their leadership, no matter what the current size of the polity is. Luxembourg is small but it's democratic. Iraq is a country going through tremendous upheaval but elections are a net contributor to security. Without a political process there is no alternative to settling profound differences through force.
Name
Laro
- Ghana
Profession
Question
It has been proved to that HAMAS pertook in several humanitarian services in Palestine. This, of course, has helped the Palestinian people in no small measure. What actually do you think is wrong for the party not to recieve favorable support from Americans despite the fact that they had a clear victory in the poll?
Answer
It is not the humanitarian support that Hamas has provided to the Palestinian people that we object to. Charity is a central pillar of the Muslim faith and we believe such services to be critical. What we object to is Hamas' stated position that it will use violence to advance its political aims — that is terrorism. Unless it recognizes that it has a partner in peace, how can there be the possibility of it? Unless it renounces violence, why would Israel not be right to pre-emptively strike now that a political party dedicated to its destruction is in control of the government? It's not a decision for us to make, but for Hamas to make. We hope they make the right decision. We know that nearly every country in the world and in the region is encouraging them to do so.
Name
Asif
-
Profession
Software engr
Question
You probably have heard this but I must ask: The United States talks about democracy all the time but when a democratically elected government is chosen all we hear from you (and your allies) is economic sanctions, killing of elected officials etc. Please don't tell us that it is a terrorist organization - whether you like it or not, Muslims consider that to be your position - Israel also has blood on its hands and stern people went onto becoming prime minsters and leaders of Israel. This all points to the valid perception that the United States is not really interested in democracy - just in controlling the leaders in a place where there is a lot of oil.
Answer
I think I've answered this above, more or less, but one additional point here: We are where we are now. Not 40 years ago. Not 6 months ago. We need to move forward. I think that if Hamas makes the right choice this could represent a tremendous opportunity for the peace process and for the Palestinian people. Whatever we decide on regarding any given issue at the moment is less important than the decisions that are taken by Palestinians now and Israelis later in March. There is no doubt that this is a very challenging time but the United States is no less committed to its vision of a two-state solution. But in order to get there we need partners.
Name
Rob
- United States
Profession
Computer Tech
Question
Why doesn't US policy recognize that failing to work with Hamas harms US interests, not Hamas?
Answer
Rob, this is not our choice; it's Hamas's choice, as we've made clear. We are prepared to work with Hamas if it renounces terror, if it recognizes Israel's right to exist and abides by international agreements that the PA reached with Israel and the international community. Those are fairly straightforward propositions and the entire international community stands behind these demands. No one wants a further humanitarian crisis, but no one, too, wants to prop up a state that is committed to terrorism and the eradication of its neighbor. Does that sound unreasonable to you?
Name
sam
- United States
Profession
Question
The reason why the USA will never have any credibility in the world in general and the Middle East in particular is that we never promote democracy. We support regimes that further our objectives. Case in point, we support the terrorist Israeli regime no matter how horrific the crimes against humanity but we are actively trying to suppress a democratically elected Hamas. My question is, why is our government actively kissing the feet of the Zionists who are bleeding this country to death and who have committed acts of terror against USA, and, in the same time, we are trying to suppress a democratically elected Hamas.
Thanks
Answer
Sam, are you actually saying that Israel is not a democracy? You may disagree with its policies but there's no question that Israel is a democratic polity. No one that I know of questions that. So you're saying it OK to impose ourselves on a democratically elected government? And, again, we are not trying to suppress Hamas. Hamas is self-isolating. We hope they make the right choice for themselves and for the future of a proud Palestinian state.
Name
Hanan
-
Profession
Question
Can you specify which Syrian groups applied for the funds?
Answer
No. Sorry I can't.
Name
Zahrah
- South Africa
Profession
Question
Is the United States ready to start a dialogue with moderate Islamists?
Answer
We are engaged with many governments around the world that are in most definitions moderately Islamist and, as I noted above, we are working with Islamist parties in Iraq. I think we're prepared - and do - talk with most political parties around the world; and many US non-governmental organizations do as well. Engagement though is different than support. We want to know whether Islamist parties are prepared to accept the democratic rules of the game and commit to safeguaring minority rights, among other things.
Name
Abu Saida
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Dear sir,
It's been a pleasure to have you on this site. My question is, regarding the Palestinian issueb what is the stance of the United States with regards to the democratic elections of Hamas? And do you think this is double standards of the West to allow certain parties to be elected and others not? Well - my opinion towards Hamas is a positive one, at least if the West can give them a chance to prove that they are good and real partners in the peace process, and this has been historically proved in many countries, such as Ireland.
And the last question is, do you think it was right for the EU to approve $122 million to the suffering of the Palestinians?
Thank you.
Answer
Thank you for your question, which seems to be on a lot of people's minds. Again, I don't see a double standard. We praise the election process but do not have to live with the resultant policies just because Hamas was elected. Elections, like all the choices we make, have consequences. Americans know that if they vote for Democrats they are likely to see their taxes go up and if they vote for Republicans that they will go down. As a practical matter we are prohibited by law from providing assistance to a terrorist organization. Hamas, by its policy choices, remains a terrorist organization. The choice is in its hands as I've said before. We are a compassionate people and do not want to see humanitarian needs go unmet.
Name
Shakirah
- South Africa
Profession
Question
Have you changed your mind about democracy in the middle of the road after realizing that democracy will bring Islamists to power in the Muslim World?
Answer
No. We do not believe that the people of the Arab world only want to have two choices: a choice between autocracy and Islamic extremism. It is important that we draw the right lessons from the current experience with elections in the region, which is that without greater political space for alternatives to emerge, alternatives that better represent the whole of these societies, we will continue to be presented with this same false choice. Only 20 percent of the Egyptian people voted in the last parliamentary elections. I think that's because they didn't feel they had a real choice to make.
Name
Asif
-
Profession
Software engr
Question
Regarding Sam's question, why didn't you answer his question as to how the United States can keep quiet when Israel commits acts of terrorism - killing children on wheel-chair, women etc. - and this is when you are telling Hamas to renounce "terror." Rather, you went on to say Israel is democratic - this democratic rhetoric to divert the question works in the United States, not with Muslims who do not consider democracy to be the solution to mans ills - it is Islam.
Answer
To say we don't condemn Israeli violence is just plain wrong. Go to the State Department Web site (www.state.gov) and look up our Human Rights Report on Israel and tell me we're not hard-hitting.
On the question of Islam and democracy, I would say that there is a vibrant debate going on both in the region and outside of it about the compatibility of Islam and democracy. Like many within this debate, I believe that Islam and democracy are compatible. I would also point out that even within certain countries there are numerous Islamic political parties. Clearly, the community is not homegenous.
Name
Abu-Farhat
- Kenya
Profession
Question
What is democracy? If the Palestinian people elect Members of Hamas and they win the election - what should we call this? Is this not the democracy Americans and the international community want? They have the right not to consider Israel as a country if the international community does not consider their victory as the democratic right of the Palestinian people. Can you explain this?
Answer
I think I've answered this question a number of times in a number of ways. I wish we could discuss it further but my time is unfortunately up.
Thank you and to the other participants for your questions. I hope the discussion was useful to you. It was to me.
Name
Host
-
Profession
Question
We apologize for not being able to answer all questions due to time limitation.
